by TheDogNanny
Marcia Murray-Stoof C.P.D.T.
(705) 436-4158
thedognanny@bell.net
26 Ways to Get Your Dog to Do What You Want
Appreciate my tendency to let you be the boss.
Most dogs are not status seekers and are more than willing to follow your lead. Your job is to be a good pet parent by developing a relationship based on trust and respect, without bullying and intimidation based on the tips in this document.
Teach me that giving in to you is fun.
It’s not fun for you or your dog if your relationship is confrontational. Make giving up toys, space and food and complying with your instructions fun so your dog enjoys doing so.
Pet me because you love me, but sometimes have me earn it.
Allowing your dog to demand petting by barking, jumping or pawing at you creates “The Dog Who Must Be Obeyed”. This is a red flag that problems exist in your relationship.
Teach me making eye contact with you is fun.
Eye contact between dogs can be a threat and the dog who looks away is acknowledging the other is boss. Teach your dog that it’s good for her to look at you.
Let me know I must share space on the bed or couch.
It’s fine for your dog to cuddle and be close to you. But he should also get up and move when you ask. If, he growls or challenges you. This is a red flag that problems exist in your relationship.
Remind me to respect your personal space.
Body-checking, physically rough greetings or running up to you fast enough to knock you down are examples of your dog using his body weight against you. This is a red flag that problems exist in your relationship.
Show me how to be gentle when taking treats.
You should be able to give your dog treats and keep your fingers intact. Teach your dog the only way your fingers release his treat is if he does not put his teeth on your fingers.
Tell me to do something else if I try to mount you.
One reason dogs mount others is to maintain or obtain a higher social rank. Allowing your dog to mount family members lets him believe he is “King Of The Hill. This is a red flag that problems exist in your relationship.
Remember that I know you are not a wolf.
Humans don’t mimic wolves very effectively. There are better ways to get your message across than growling at your dog, grabbing his neck, pinning him on his back or biting his muzzle.
Give me frequent feedback about my behaviour.
Dogs learn best when they immediately know which behaviours you like and which you don’t. Instantly reward good behaviour and don’t reward behaviour you don’t like.
Be Predictable.
Predictability lowers stress. When your dog comes to you wanting attention, if you pet him sometimes and yell at him other times, you create unnecessary stress and teach your dog not to trust you.
Follow through with everything.
See that your dog does what you tell him, such as sit or come. Otherwise you send the message it’s OK to ignore you. Pleasantly and calmly see that your wishes are obeyed.
Match a single word to a single behaviour.
If “Down” means both lie down and don’t jump/get off, your dog will be confused.
Ignore my annoying behaviours.
Giving in to pestering behaviours teaches your dog to annoy you to get what he wants. Ignoring bothersome behaviours will get worse, before they get better. Hang in there and follow through.
Watch your mealtime behaviour so I don’t learn to beg.
If you want to give your dog leftovers, put them in his bowl after mealtime and have him sit first. When your dog is given food directly from the table he will learn to pester and beg for more.
Teach me Enough is Enough.
When you are through paying attention to your dog, prevent pestering by saying “that’s enough” , folding your arms and turning away. Ignore any further attempts by your dog to get your attention.
Make a rule that my teeth never hurt your body.
Dogs have exquisite control over the force they exert with their mouths. Your dog must learn to exert that control whenever his mouth meets your skin.
Learn how behaviourally healthy dogs act and what are normal behaviours for me.
Knowing what’s normal and what’s possible will allow you to have realistic expectations for your dog.
Decide how you want me to behave in different situations.
Dogs don’t come with automatic understanding of what we expect from them. You must be clear in your own mind about how you want your dog to behave.
Understand how to use treats to lure and reward my good behaviour.
Treats are powerful motivators for most dogs.
Use food correctly when training me so I’ll keep doing what you want even without treats.
As your dog learns a behaviour, stop using food as a lure and use it only as a reward. Don’t let him know you have food until he’s done it right. You are changing from using food as a cue/command to using it as a reward.
Manage my world so it is hard for me to misbehave.
Bad behaviours can easily become habits if they are repeated often. Your dog can readily learn to prefer carpet to grass for relieving himself if the latter choice the exception rather than the rule. Controlling your dog’s environment is a powerful way to mould good behaviour.
Practise getting me to show good behaviour when it doesn’t count so I’ll respond reliably when it does.
It’s easy to let things slide and not always follow through when it is not very important whether or not your dog obeys you. This almost guarantees your dog will not listen to you when it is important.
Help me learn to listen in distracting situations.
Just because your dog will come to you in the yard does not mean he will do the same in an off-leash park. You must teach your dog to listen to you even when there are many things going on around him.
Train me with treats instead of choke chains/collars.
Choke chains/collars are used improperly more often than not. NEVER use a choke chain/collar on a puppy or leave one on an unattended dog.
Use nonphysical punishments when I need them.
Scruff shakes and alpha rolls do not mimic natural dog and wolf behaviour. They put you at risk of being bitten and can cause fear and aggression problems rather than improving behaviour.
Believe that punishing me after that fact won’t work.
Unless you catch me in the act of misbehaving, punishment or disapline is not an option. You would not think of trying to punish your dog when you were away because there was no “evidence” to show him. Dogs cannot connect “evidence” such as a chewed shoe or a puddle of urine with their behaviour that created the mess, so this will not justify punishment after the fact.
(705) 436-4158
thedognanny@bell.net
26 Ways to Get Your Dog to Do What You Want
Appreciate my tendency to let you be the boss.
Most dogs are not status seekers and are more than willing to follow your lead. Your job is to be a good pet parent by developing a relationship based on trust and respect, without bullying and intimidation based on the tips in this document.
Teach me that giving in to you is fun.
It’s not fun for you or your dog if your relationship is confrontational. Make giving up toys, space and food and complying with your instructions fun so your dog enjoys doing so.
Pet me because you love me, but sometimes have me earn it.
Allowing your dog to demand petting by barking, jumping or pawing at you creates “The Dog Who Must Be Obeyed”. This is a red flag that problems exist in your relationship.
Teach me making eye contact with you is fun.
Eye contact between dogs can be a threat and the dog who looks away is acknowledging the other is boss. Teach your dog that it’s good for her to look at you.
Let me know I must share space on the bed or couch.
It’s fine for your dog to cuddle and be close to you. But he should also get up and move when you ask. If, he growls or challenges you. This is a red flag that problems exist in your relationship.
Remind me to respect your personal space.
Body-checking, physically rough greetings or running up to you fast enough to knock you down are examples of your dog using his body weight against you. This is a red flag that problems exist in your relationship.
Show me how to be gentle when taking treats.
You should be able to give your dog treats and keep your fingers intact. Teach your dog the only way your fingers release his treat is if he does not put his teeth on your fingers.
Tell me to do something else if I try to mount you.
One reason dogs mount others is to maintain or obtain a higher social rank. Allowing your dog to mount family members lets him believe he is “King Of The Hill. This is a red flag that problems exist in your relationship.
Remember that I know you are not a wolf.
Humans don’t mimic wolves very effectively. There are better ways to get your message across than growling at your dog, grabbing his neck, pinning him on his back or biting his muzzle.
Give me frequent feedback about my behaviour.
Dogs learn best when they immediately know which behaviours you like and which you don’t. Instantly reward good behaviour and don’t reward behaviour you don’t like.
Be Predictable.
Predictability lowers stress. When your dog comes to you wanting attention, if you pet him sometimes and yell at him other times, you create unnecessary stress and teach your dog not to trust you.
Follow through with everything.
See that your dog does what you tell him, such as sit or come. Otherwise you send the message it’s OK to ignore you. Pleasantly and calmly see that your wishes are obeyed.
Match a single word to a single behaviour.
If “Down” means both lie down and don’t jump/get off, your dog will be confused.
Ignore my annoying behaviours.
Giving in to pestering behaviours teaches your dog to annoy you to get what he wants. Ignoring bothersome behaviours will get worse, before they get better. Hang in there and follow through.
Watch your mealtime behaviour so I don’t learn to beg.
If you want to give your dog leftovers, put them in his bowl after mealtime and have him sit first. When your dog is given food directly from the table he will learn to pester and beg for more.
Teach me Enough is Enough.
When you are through paying attention to your dog, prevent pestering by saying “that’s enough” , folding your arms and turning away. Ignore any further attempts by your dog to get your attention.
Make a rule that my teeth never hurt your body.
Dogs have exquisite control over the force they exert with their mouths. Your dog must learn to exert that control whenever his mouth meets your skin.
Learn how behaviourally healthy dogs act and what are normal behaviours for me.
Knowing what’s normal and what’s possible will allow you to have realistic expectations for your dog.
Decide how you want me to behave in different situations.
Dogs don’t come with automatic understanding of what we expect from them. You must be clear in your own mind about how you want your dog to behave.
Understand how to use treats to lure and reward my good behaviour.
Treats are powerful motivators for most dogs.
Use food correctly when training me so I’ll keep doing what you want even without treats.
As your dog learns a behaviour, stop using food as a lure and use it only as a reward. Don’t let him know you have food until he’s done it right. You are changing from using food as a cue/command to using it as a reward.
Manage my world so it is hard for me to misbehave.
Bad behaviours can easily become habits if they are repeated often. Your dog can readily learn to prefer carpet to grass for relieving himself if the latter choice the exception rather than the rule. Controlling your dog’s environment is a powerful way to mould good behaviour.
Practise getting me to show good behaviour when it doesn’t count so I’ll respond reliably when it does.
It’s easy to let things slide and not always follow through when it is not very important whether or not your dog obeys you. This almost guarantees your dog will not listen to you when it is important.
Help me learn to listen in distracting situations.
Just because your dog will come to you in the yard does not mean he will do the same in an off-leash park. You must teach your dog to listen to you even when there are many things going on around him.
Train me with treats instead of choke chains/collars.
Choke chains/collars are used improperly more often than not. NEVER use a choke chain/collar on a puppy or leave one on an unattended dog.
Use nonphysical punishments when I need them.
Scruff shakes and alpha rolls do not mimic natural dog and wolf behaviour. They put you at risk of being bitten and can cause fear and aggression problems rather than improving behaviour.
Believe that punishing me after that fact won’t work.
Unless you catch me in the act of misbehaving, punishment or disapline is not an option. You would not think of trying to punish your dog when you were away because there was no “evidence” to show him. Dogs cannot connect “evidence” such as a chewed shoe or a puddle of urine with their behaviour that created the mess, so this will not justify punishment after the fact.
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- December 22, 2011 4:37 pm
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